Program

General Information

The Department of International Relations and European Studies, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University together with our partners is happy to announce the summer school on energy security titled Energy in Europe: Sources and Politics. The eighth year of th energy security summer school, which already earned an excellent international reputation, takes place in the UNESCO World Heritage City of Telč.

The summer school will be dealing with highly topical issue of oil pipelines, gas infrastructure and electricity transmission in Europe, with a special focus on Central and Eastern Europe. In the fast developing interconnected European energy market the importance of energy infrastructure becomes ever higher. This summer school responds to this trend and offers lectures, expert insights and analyses on the topic of development of oil, gas and electricity infrastructure and its main problems and opportunities. Geopolitics, international politics, EU energy policy and basic technical aspects will also be discussed during the summer course.

The summer school will be held from August 3 to August 10, 2019 and will host various foreign and Czech energy security experts. The summer school will last six full working days, each dedicated to a specific topic within the issue. The core of the program comprises of issue-related lectures and practice-oriented workshop focusing on policy repercussions, relations with major energy producers, hydrocarbons development, electricity production and transportation etc.

The summer school includes a field trip to energy facilities - to the ČEZ Group's Temelín Nuclear Power Plant and Kořensko Hydro Power Plant. A field trip to a nuclear power plant is a unique experience. Students will be acquainted with the operation of a nuclear facility, and will take part in guided tour through the power plant site, the engine room, and the control room training simulator. In Křensko, students will walk around the facility and visit the control and the turbine rooms. Memorable experiences both, and one of the greatest pleasures of the summer course.

In line with their home university policy, students can earn 4 ECTS credits if all the requirements are fulfilled. Together with the 4 ECTS credits students also receive a Certificate of Attendance. Lectures will take place in English. There are 5 lecture days of 3 in-class units per day. Additionally, the study of a 4 ECTS course includes 12 hours of field visits, 6 hours of group work and 6 hours of project work.

Students will be obliged to participate in workshops, discussions and seminars. At the same time, they will participate in negotiation game, which will be concluded by a presentation at the end of the summer school. The quality of the project work will be evaluated by the lecturers. Successful completion of the project will be a prerequisite for successful completion of the summer school and will be the proof of students` understanding of the topic and its context.

The summer school is open to undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students of International Relations, Political Science, and European studies, as well as students from technical, legal and economic fields. The summer school is also open to junior employees of energy sector related companies.

Lecturers

Václav Bartuška
Special Envoy for Energy Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic

Olga Bogdanova
Director, Energy Market and Infrastructure Department, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Latvia; Member of the Supervisory Board of Latvian Power Transmission System Operator AS Augstsprieguma; Associate Professor at Riga Technical University

Filip Černoch
Associate Professor, Department of International Relations and European Studies, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University

Social Program

The academic content of the summer course is carefully balanced with a bountiful social program that includes a tour around the UNESCO-listed city of Telč, a visit to the fabulous Telč renaissance chateau, a softskills workshop, a wine tasting evening—complete with a lecture on wine—and a farewell barbecue party. Plus a superb music festival with lots of ways to stay entertained will be ongoing in Telč throughout the summer course.